Lou Boudreau vs Jimmy Rollins: Career Stats Comparison
Jimmy Rollins has the better career line of the two, leading 11 of the 14 scored categories on this page (1 further counting total is shown but not scored). Lou Boudreau played 1938–1952 as a hitter; Jimmy Rollins played 2000–2016 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Lou Boudreau (1938–1952) and Jimmy Rollins (2000–2016) — they broke in during the 1930s and the 2000s respectively, which makes the side-by-side worth doing carefully. Lou Boudreau finished with 1,779 hits and 68 home runs; Jimmy Rollins finished with 2,455 hits and 231 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Jimmy Rollins, with 231 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS? Lou Boudreau, with .795 to Jimmy Rollins's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average? Lou Boudreau, with .295 to Jimmy Rollins's .264.
- Who had more hits? Jimmy Rollins, with 2,455 to Lou Boudreau's 1,779.
- Who drove in more runs? Jimmy Rollins, with 936 to Lou Boudreau's 789.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Lou Boudreau, with 17,260 career PIV to Jimmy Rollins's 406.
- Who won more championships? Both — each won 1 World Series title.
Lou Boudreau
Jimmy Rollins
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Lou Boudreau and Jimmy Rollins. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 14 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other one is a counting total on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded it. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1930s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Lou Boudreau | Jimmy Rollins |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,646 | Leads: 2,275 |
| At-Bats | 6,029 | Leads: 9,294 |
| Runs | 861 | Leads: 1,421 |
| Hits | 1,779 | Leads: 2,455 |
| Doubles | 385 | Leads: 511 |
| Triples | 66 | Leads: 115 |
| Home Runs | 68 | Leads: 231 |
| RBI | 789 | Leads: 936 |
| Walks | 796 | Leads: 813 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 309 | 1,264 |
| Stolen Bases | 51 | Leads: 470 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .295 | .264 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .380 | .324 |
| Slugging % | .415 | Leads: .418 |
| OPS | Leads: .795 | .743 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Lou Boudreau outpaces Jimmy Rollins 17,260 to 406 — driven by per-season impact — 1,151 PIV per season to 24 — rather than by longevity, since Lou Boudreau played 15 seasons to Jimmy Rollins's 17. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Lou Boudreau — top 3 seasons by OPS
Jimmy Rollins — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Jimmy Rollins leads in hits, home runs, RBI, and runs, while Lou Boudreau owns batting average, OBP, and OPS. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Jimmy Rollins. Note that PIV actually grades Lou Boudreau ahead, which means Jimmy Rollins's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Lou Boudreau and Jimmy Rollins careers compare
The two careers never overlapped: Lou Boudreau's ended in 1952, and Jimmy Rollins debuted in 2000. With 1,646 games against 2,275 across 15 and 17 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Lou Boudreau comes out ahead, it is in batting average (.295 to .264), on-base percentage (.380 to .324), and OPS (.795 to .743). Plate discipline differs: Lou Boudreau walked more often than struck out (796 walks, 309 strikeouts), but Jimmy Rollins struck out more than walked (1,264 to 813). Jimmy Rollins is the more power-leaning hitter, with 231 of 2,455 hits leaving the park. Jimmy Rollins was the more frequent base stealer relative to games played.
Lou Boudreau vs Jimmy Rollins: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Lou Boudreau or Jimmy Rollins?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Jimmy Rollins leads Lou Boudreau in 11 of the 14 scored categories.
- Did Lou Boudreau or Jimmy Rollins hit more home runs?
- Jimmy Rollins, with 231 to Lou Boudreau's 68.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Lou Boudreau, with .795 to Jimmy Rollins's .743.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Lou Boudreau, with .295 to Jimmy Rollins's .264.
- Who had more hits?
- Jimmy Rollins, with 2,455 to Lou Boudreau's 1,779.